Explain how NON Expire tickets work?

[CarolinaMomOf3boys]

We are looking into non expiring tickets, can someone please explain how these work?

 

[asoko]

I'm assuming you mean park tickets.

They are good for your life. So you can use some days now and some in the future. They don't have the expiration date like the regular tickets have. We have some tickets from about 10 years ago when all the tickets had no expiration date. My parents and brother just used a day and still have a couple left.

 

[dzorn]

And if you get the water park and more added those do not expire until they run out even if the 4 major park days are all used up. We are still using water park passes from 3 trips ago.

Denise in MI

 

[Cheshire Figment]

This is a "canned" response with the assumption you have a ten day MYW ticket with both the Park Hopper and Water Park Fun and More (WPF&M) options.

Hopefully this will make it a little clearer. In effect you have two tickets with different privleges on one card. Everything expires 14 days after first use unless you have the no-expire (NE) option. If you have the NE option all the entitlements are good until they are used up. Even if you use up all your major park days, the WPF&M enries remain valid until used. (Note you do not have to use the days consecutively.)

You have ten days of access to the four major parks (AK, DHS, EC, MK), and may visit more than one major park on a single day without any extra charges. Without the Park Hopper option you can only go to one major park per day.

You have ten entries to the minor parks (BB, DQ, OT, TL, WWS). These may or may not be used on the same days as you go to the major parks. However, if you went to TL in the morning, Oak Trail in the afternoon, and Disney Quest in the evening of one day you would have used three of the ten entries. (Note that leaving and returning to the same minor park on the same day does not use an extra entry.)

If you go to minor parks only on one day and do not go to a major park you do not use up one of your major park days.

If you were to go to a Water Park in the morning and then one of the major parks for the remainder of the day you would have used one minor park entry and one day of major park entry.

Note that with the MYW ticket unless you have the hopper option you can only go to one major park per day. Unless you have the WPF&M option you cannot go to a minor park without upgrading or purchasing a separate ticket.

(I work as a Greeter/Tickets/Guest Services at one of the Water Parks.)

 

[CarolinaMomOf3boys]

HOLY COw!!! Thank you!!! Hmmmmm my son was chosen as 'ski patrol' at a water park in april....wonder which one you are at? would love to say hi to you in august!!!!

This is a "canned" response with the assumption you have a ten day MYW ticket with both the Park Hopper and Water Park Fun and More (WPF&M) options.

Hopefully this will make it a little clearer. In effect you have two tickets with different privleges on one card. Everything expires 14 days after first use unless you have the no-expire (NE) option. If you have the NE option all the entitlements are good until they are used up. Even if you use up all your major park days, the WPF&M enries remain valid until used. (Note you do not have to use the days consecutively.)

You have ten days of access to the four major parks (AK, DHS, EC, MK), and may visit more than one major park on a single day without any extra charges. Without the Park Hopper option you can only go to one major park per day.

You have ten entries to the minor parks (BB, DQ, OT, TL, WWS). These may or may not be used on the same days as you go to the major parks. However, if you went to TL in the morning, Oak Trail in the afternoon, and Disney Quest in the evening of one day you would have used three of the ten entries. (Note that leaving and returning to the same minor park on the same day does not use an extra entry.)

If you go to minor parks only on one day and do not go to a major park you do not use up one of your major park days.

If you were to go to a Water Park in the morning and then one of the major parks for the remainder of the day you would have used one minor park entry and one day of major park entry.

Note that with the MYW ticket unless you have the hopper option you can only go to one major park per day. Unless you have the WPF&M option you cannot go to a minor park without upgrading or purchasing a separate ticket.

(I work as a Greeter/Tickets/Guest Services at one of the Water Parks.)

 

[xmlguy]

It seems like there's a lot of situations where the no-expiration option makes no sense at all. For a 10 day base, the no expire option is $200 premium. That's only $37 less than another full 10 day base, and it's $15 more expensive than the AP (w/10% off) and you don't get parkhopping, free parking or the AP discounts.

So after 9 total days, the AP is always better for any number of trips within a year. For park hopping, the AP is better for 8 or more total days. For two trips of 6-10 days, two base tickets are better for more than a year elapsed time (the cost per day is lower than any no-expire ticket). For one trip the no-expire makes no sense. So the only gap is for 3 or more trips of 1-5 days over more than a year elapsed time. Florida residents will be better off with the FAPs. So the No-Expire is great for people outside Florida who want to only go to WDW 3+ times for 3 days on average over the course of 2 or more years. That's a rather strange option. Who thought that one up, Dopey or Goofy?

I guess the Water Parks option might make a bit more sense, but if you really like them, the Premium AP can let you use a lot more than the no expire.

 

[pyrxtc]

I guess that out of stater would be me. I am spending the extra money on the no expire 10 day WP and more tickets for my September trip. We will use 3 days then, maybe 4 of major parks, then will use a few more days during my 6 day stay in January and will save the last 2 or 3 days and all of my water park days for trips more than 2 or 3 yrs away by the time I get back there. I ahve had the Ap and I like how this can be spread out over more time, especially since 10 visits to the water parks or DQ more than make up the extra money spent on the non-expire option.

 

[xmlguy]

Yup, it sounds like the no-expire is the best plan for you, 3 trips of about 3 days, with water parks, over 2+ years. Although you could spend up to $120 more in parking, not be able to park hop, and get no AP discounts. Park hopping adds another $50. But if you're only going to use 6 days in a year, the AP is more expensive.

 

[brymolmom]

We have 10 day non-expire (our latest ones are with WPM - haven't used any yet). I always tell people who ask for my advice (of which there are TONS) that if you are going for 2 - 3 days and plan to return at least a couple more times, that it is often cost effective to buy the non-expire.

I know SO many people who ask for my advice but who are going for 1 or 2 days to the parks. OUCH - it is SO EXPENSIVE to go that way. $150+ in park tickets for just 2 days? My 10 day non-expire with WPM adds up to about $25 per day (considering 20 days in parks - half major and half minor). To me - it is way easier to swallow for a short trip than the alternative.

When we go for more than 5 days - we just buy expiring non-hoppers thru our package (usually it's for free dining anyway and we have to buy at least 1 day). We save the non-expires for when we want to go 2 or 3 days to the parks on a trip (like when dh has a conference and we tag along but don't stay onsite).

 

[jessica52877]

We also enjoy the non expiring tickets. I have worked it out every way and they are best suited for our family. We enjoy going for long weekends 1 or 2x per year but only go in a disney park usually 1 of the days. I could never buy a 1 day ticket. We then use a water park for the other or Universal or sometimes MVMCP.

We also go 1 or 2x a year for a week but only go into the parks 3 or 4 days. I don't enjoy vacation running from from park to park every day. So for our family it is perfect.

 

[xmlguy]

We have 10 day non-expire (our latest ones are with WPM - haven't used any yet). I always tell people who ask for my advice (of which there are TONS) that if you are going for 2 - 3 days and plan to return at least a couple more times, that it is often cost effective to buy the non-expire.

I know SO many people who ask for my advice but who are going for 1 or 2 days to the parks. OUCH - it is SO EXPENSIVE to go that way. $150+ in park tickets for just 2 days? My 10 day non-expire with WPM adds up to about $25 per day (considering 20 days in parks - half major and half minor). To me - it is way easier to swallow for a short trip than the alternative.

When we go for more than 5 days - we just buy expiring non-hoppers thru our package (usually it's for free dining anyway and we have to buy at least 1 day). We save the non-expires for when we want to go 2 or 3 days to the parks on a trip (like when dh has a conference and we tag along but don't stay onsite).

If you do those 20 days within a year, and the ticket was a parkhopper, then the Premium AP is a better value than the 10day non-expiry, even when used as a 10MP+10mWP. It's nearly the same price right now (with the 10% AP discount), but you can do those 20 days with no restrictions, free parking, and PAP discounts. Only if the days are used outside of a year does the no-expiry pay off, because you save paying those steep 1-3 day rates on the future trip.

 

[Ava]

I don't think this has been mentioned yet, but the NE option also saves you from any increase in ticket prices over the years. My last trip to WDW was in 2006, next trip most likely won't be until 2012, and now I kind of wish I'd bought 10-day NE tickets in 2006! We spent 5 days in the major parks and went to 1 water park (which is about as long of a trip as we can ever take due to work) so if I'd bought 10-day NE tix back then I'd be able to take my 2012 trip for 2006 ticket prices! I know, hindsight is 20/20.